Valyantsin Stefanovich: “Trial was plainly political, judgement – unlawful”

“Guilt of the accused people wasn’t proved at the trial. The fact the accusation was based on video materials is absolutely unacceptable,” famous human rights activist Valyantsin Stefanovich said to the Charter’97 press center, commenting on judgements, delivered to participants of the trail of 14 today.

According to the lawyer, this trail has aggravated the main problem – laws on holding mass events. “People in Belarus can’t hold an action where there is a sense to hold it. I mean near the buildings where the officials, whose actions are criticised, work. It is inconsistent with international practice, according to which restrictions are applied only towards the objects, staying near which may threaten national security. For example, a secret military base, a closed scientific institute. But buildings belonging to executive or law-making branches of power nowhere in the world refer to this category,” the human rights activist explains.

According to him, “in case of the trial of 14 one can’t speak about violation of public order. It was indisputable right of citizens to express their attitude towards the new legislative acts (decree No 760 – note of Charter’97), which adoption worsened their state. They had the right to do it near the governmental agencies, whose officials had approved that decision. That is why I think this trial is a plainly political, and judgment – absolutely unlawful,” Valyantsin Stefanovich stressed.